Umm Salamah

Umm Salamah

Country

Saudi Arabia

Known for

Prophet Muhammad’s Wife and ‘Mother of the Believers’

Dates

Hijri Unkown-63 (AH); Common Era Unkown-680 (CE)

Umm Salamah

Biography

Bravery of an Original Follower...Umm Salamah, whose full name was Hind bint Abi Umayya ibn al-Mughira, was amongst the first converts to Islam, along with her husband, Abu Salamah. When persecution and violence against Muslims became rampant in Mecca, they were among the first brave Muslims to make the long migration to Ethiopia in 615, a place where Muslims were offered sanctuary. Upon return to Mecca years later, the couple realized that the situation in the city had not improved as they hoped it would. When the Prophet received an invitation from Medina, he and some of his followers decided to move to the city from Mecca. Umm Salamah and her husband’s plans were disrupted on their way to Medina when members of Umm Salamah’s tribe stopped them on their departure. Umm Salamah was split up with her husband and son and forced to remain with her family.
After one year, she was released, reunited her son to her, and given a camel for her journey to Medina. Umm Salamah braved the trip to Medina alone until she was joined by ‘Uthman ibn Talha, who didn’t want her to continue unescorted. He accompanied her to her husband in Medina before returning himself to Mecca. Umm Salamah eventually became a widow after Abu Salamah was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. At the time of his death, Umm Salamah was pregnant with their fifth child. After the child’s birth, ‘Umar proposed that she marries the Prophet. The Prophet accepted the proposal.
Though she originally refused his proposal, she eventually accepted and the two were married. “Umm Salama was from the Bani Makhzum tribe, which was the tribe of Islam’s archenemies at that time, Abu Jahl and Khalid bin Waleed. Bringing influential and powerful tribes closer to Islam was one of the noble objectives of the Prophet’s marriage” (WISE).
She took care of the Prophet’s tent during the Battle of the Trench and is considered a companion narrator of hadith. Umm Salamah had a wide knowledge of the Qur’an and how it had been interpreted by the Prophet. Until her death, she remained an advisor on legal issues and a devout Muslim.